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Leptospermum lanigerum

woolly teatree

Myrtaceae Southeastern Australia

Attracts Pollinators

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterMedium

HardinessZones 8–10

Overview

Leptospermum lanigerum is an evergreen shrub or small tree 6-20 feet (2-6 m) tall, with an upright to spreading habit and fibrous, grey, peeling bark. The small leaves are 0.2-0.6 inch (5-15 mm) long, grey-green, and covered in silky white hairs that give the foliage and young stems a woolly, silvery look. White flowers 0.4-0.6 inch (10-15 mm) across, each with five rounded petals and a green central disc, open along the stems in spring and early summer. Woody capsules 0.2-0.3 inch (5-8 mm) wide follow and stay on the branches for some time. Growth is moderate to fast on moist sites, and the plant tolerates wet, poorly drained ground and short flooding. It grows more slowly and stays shrubby on dry sites, and old plants can become bare and twiggy at the base.

Native Range

Native to southeastern Australia, including Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales, and South Australia. Grows along streams, on swamp margins, and in wet heath and forest on moist to waterlogged, often peaty soils.

Suggested Uses

Planted as a screen, windbreak, and wet-soil shrub in gardens and revegetation, spaced 5-10 feet (1.5-3 m) apart, and used along dams and creek lines. Suits wet, poorly drained sites where many shrubs fail. The silvery foliage and white flowers suit informal native screens and bird-habitat plantings.

How to Identify

Recognised by small grey-green leaves and young stems densely clothed in silky white hairs, giving a woolly, silvery appearance, and white five-petalled flowers along the stems. The woolly foliage and buds separate it from Leptospermum scoparium, which has smoother, greener leaves. Mature plants reach 6-20 feet (2-6 m) with grey, peeling bark.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height6' - 20'

Width/Spread5' - 12'

Reaches mature size in approximately 5 years

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~6 weeks

Spring Summer

Flowers in spring and early summer, mainly October to December, with timing later in cooler highland districts. Flowering lasts about 4-6 weeks, lining the stems with white blooms. Woody capsules follow and persist on the branches.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

grey-green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 6-10 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range4.5 - 6.5(Acidic)

357912

Soil Types

clay loam peat sand

Drainagemoist

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

3-5 years

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grows in full sun to part shade on moist to wet soils and tolerates waterlogging and brief flooding better than most teatrees. Water young plants through the first two summers; established plants withstand both wet ground and short dry spells. On dry sites growth slows and the canopy thins. Frost-hardy to about 18°F (-8°C) once established. Myrtle rust can affect new growth in humid areas, causing yellow pustules and shoot dieback. Old plants can become bare at the base, and a hard prune after flowering renews dense growth.

Pruning

Tip-prune after flowering to keep the plant dense and bushy, and cut back harder to renew old, bare stems. The plant reshoots from cut stems and from the base. Spent capsule-laden stems can be trimmed to tidy the shrub.

Pruning Schedule

summer